Abstract

Purpose: To compare the prevalence of non-responders in two school-based intervention programs that differ in terms of intensity in physical fitness and cardiometabolic risk factors in children. Summary of facts and results: A quasi-experimental study was conducted with 38 boys and girls aged 6 to 11 years. Children were divided into a group submitted to moderate-to-high-intensity (MHI, n = 21) intervention and a group that performed low-to-moderate-intensity (LMI, n = 17) physical activity. Both interventions lasted for 21 weeks, with sessions held twice a week. The MHI group participated in physical exercise sessions aimed at improving physical fitness, in which children should achieve more than 75% of their heart rate, along with a nutritional intervention. The LMI group engaged in physical education classes based on the National Common Curricular Base. Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), agility, speed, lower limb strength (LLS), LDL-c, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and waist circumference (WC) were assessed before and after the interventions. Results indicated a higher prevalence of non-responders in CRF in the LMI group (LMI: 76.99%; HMI: 21.1%, OR = 1.46, IC95% 1.19–1.78), and WC (HMI: 57.9%; LMI: 92.3%, OR = 1.21, IC95% 1.03–1.42). In conclusion, well-planned physical education classes with moderate-to-high intensity can be implemented at the school level and have the potential to promote children's health. © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS